Ask Trooper Keith: Tips to avoid car-deer crashes

Saturday

Nov 9, 2013 at 9:58 PM

As a deer hunter and as a driver I have seen the past couple weeks that the deer are starting to get crazy and are moving a lot during the day and evening hours. With that in mind, I wanted to provide some tips for safe travelling during this time of year when we see the highest amount of car versus deer crashes.

MSP Trooper Keith Disselkoen i

As a deer hunter and as a driver I have seen the past couple weeks that the deer are starting to get crazy and are moving a lot during the day and evening hours. With that in mind, I wanted to provide some tips for safe travelling during this time of year when we see the highest amount of car versus deer crashes.

When a deer appears on a roadway, you may only have a brief moment to react. The most serious crashes occur when motorists swerve to avoid a deer and hit another vehicle or a fixed object, or when their vehicle rolls over.

Tips to avoid a car-deer crash:

- Stay aware, awake and sober.

- Heed deer crossing and speed limit signs. Signs are placed in known deer crossing areas to alert you of the likely presence of deer.

- Deer are herd animals and frequently travel in a single file line. If you see one deer cross the road, chances are more are waiting.

- Be alert for deer, especially at dawn and dusk. Almost 80 percent of all car-deer crashes occur on two-lane roads between dawn and dusk.

- Do not rely on gimmicks like flashing your high-beam headlights or honking your horn to deter deer

If a crash is unavoidable:

- Do not swerve. Brake firmly, hold onto the steering wheel and bring your vehicle to a controlled

- Pull off the road, turn on your emergency flashers and be cautious of other traffic if you leave your vehicle

- Do not attempt to remove a deer from the roadway unless you are certain it is dead. An injured deer’s hooves can easily hurt you.

- Report the crash to the nearest police agency and your insurance company.

Keith Disselkoen is a Community Service Trooper for the MSP Lakeview Post. If you have a question for Trooper Disselkoen, you can email him at asktrooperkeith@gmail.com.